Head of Communications, Sub Saharan Africa

Summary

The Head of Communications, Sub Saharan Africa leads the overall strategic communications agenda for SSA, covering internal and external communications across all divisions and clusters. This above-country role is accountable for shaping narrative, advancing the company’s reputation, advising SSA leadership, and overseeing executive communications, stakeholder engagement, strategic projects, and crisis response.

About The Role

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a proactive, unified communications plan to reflect SSA’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities
• Lead executive communications, including messaging, speeches, and thought leadership for SSA leadership
• Map and engage key stakeholders across governments, media, partners, and institutions
• Lead launch communication strategy for innovative medicines portfolio
• Design and implement strategic brand and reputation campaigns across the region
• Oversee internal communication programs that inspire and engage associates
• Develop and implement crisis communication strategies and serve as the spokesperson for SSA
• Build communication capability across SSA countries and coach local teams
• Ensure full compliance with global communications policies and standards
• Monitor and report on communication effectiveness, including campaign reach, engagement, sentiment, and ROI
  
  

Key Performance Indicators

• Communication reach and stakeholder engagement
• Improvement in brand awareness and media sentiment
• Stakeholder satisfaction and strength of relationships
• Employee engagement and participation in internal campaigns
• Effectiveness of crisis management and reputation mitigation
• ROI and impact of communication campaigns and strategic projects
• Quality and consistency of executive and leadership communications
  
  

Skills

• Fluency in English required; proficiency in French is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field
• 8–10+ years in senior communications roles, preferably across Sub-Saharan Africa
• Experience in executive comms, crisis management, and strategic brand building
• Strong advisory and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience in the healthcare/pharmaceutical industry is a strong advantage
• Skilled in cross-cultural communication and matrixed environments
  
  

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

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